Mysteriorum Antiquitas
by Severusly Smitten
Summary: Voldemort's dead. Hermione's the new History of Magic Professor at Hogwarts. Snape's still a snarky git. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? A bit cliché? Don't count on it. Potions, ancient brotherhoods, and a very big secret. SSHG
1. Cruor

Mysteriorum Antiquitas  
  
By: Severusly Smitten  
  
Rating: R   
  
Disclaimer: I do not attempt to claim the rights to anything in this story. All things relating to Harry Potter that you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. Some of the ideas are borrowed from Dan Brown's books, Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code. The rest is mine.  
  
Authors Note: This is my first story... so be gentle... All flames will be used to boil the water for my tea.  
  
Chapter one: Cruor  
  
The man walked hurriedly through the dark, deserted streets of Chelsea, London. He would have apparated, if not for his precious cargo. He couldn't risk the effects of apparation on it. Not right now.   
  
Just one week ago, Fintan Ashby had made the most important discovery of his life. 'No,' he thought, 'not just my life. The most important discovery of any life.' His mind slipped back into musing about what the discovery would mean to the Wizarding World.   
  
He continued walking at his brisk pace, careful to stay in the shadows of the buildings. He had to get it to the ministry, and fast.   
  
He smiled to himself as he thought about the events of the past week. It had been unbelievable. He still couldn't believe that it had been in front of him the whole time. In front of everyone. He thought back to the night when he had discovered---  
  
Then his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of swiftly approaching footsteps behind him. He swung around just in time to hear muttering, followed by a blinding flash of purple light. He flew backwards, then the darkness enveloped him.  
  
~~~  
  
Fintan awoke to the smell of burning flesh. He looked down and saw that it was his own. Then his sense of feeling came flooding back to him. Pain seared through his chest. He was lying on his back, on cold sharp stones. His surroundings told him that he was in front of the ministry of magic. But why would his attacker bring him here? Fintan lifted his head up a bit more. His whole body ached, and he couldn't move his limbs. Then he saw it. The brand.   
  
His stomach turned and Fintan felt the bile rising in his throat. He suppressed the urge to be sick as he realized what he was looking at.   
  
The dark mark had been burned into the very center of his chest. He had been branded. But he hardly felt the pain anymore. He was more concerned with one thing. Voldemort and his followers were gone. They had been defeated 4 years ago. Why, then, was the dark mark branded on his chest? It couldn't be... that they had returned... Could it?   
  
Just then, a shadow passed in front of him. He looked up, to see a cloaked figure, standing over him. His face was in shadow and he was wearing all black. Gloved hands were holding the precious discovery. Fintan could tell that he was appraising it, sizing it up, and admiring it's unthinkable beauty. Fintan smiled proudly. It certainly was beautiful.   
  
Then the cloaked figure turned his head very slowly and looked into Fintan's eyes.  
  
He spoke. "Mr. Ashby, you are the last. The rest are dead, and now you will die as well. But before I kill you, I will ask you... do you wish the secret to die with you? Tell me the secret and it will live. Thousands of years and lives will have been in vain if you do not. I know that you are the secret keeper. I have discerned that much from your society's other... faithful... members. Tell me now and your life and theirs will not have been without purpose." He stopped and looked expectantly at Fintan.  
  
Fintan glared up at the cloaked figure. Was this the man who had killed the other members? Fintan thought to himself, 'He thinks he's killed them all... he hasn't. There's one more. The secret is safe.'  
  
Fintan continued to glare up at the man, and then responded to the man's offer. Fintan spit at him.   
  
The cloaked man shook with rage. Then he extracted his wand from inside his robes and pointed it directly at Fintan. Just then a gust of icy wind blew the man's hood off his head, revealing his face.   
  
Fintan's body seized up in shock. His eyes flew open, a look of recognition in them.   
  
The dark man smirked down at Fintan's sheer surprise. "I see you weren't expecting me, Mr. Ashby." He gave a short derisive laugh, then said the words that Fintan knew were coming, "Avada Kedavra."  
  
~~~  
  
Miles away, Severus Snape awoke with a start.  
  
Author's notes:  
  
The title of the story, Mysteriorum Antiquitas, is Latin for "Ancient Secrets"  
  
The chapter title, Cruor, is Latin for "murder"  
  
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. All questions shall be answered... though not immediately. MUHAHAHA! I LOVE SUSPENSE! Please r&r! 


	2. A Matter of Utmost Importance

Chapter Two: A Matter of Utmost Importance  
  
Miles away, Severus Snape awoke with a start.  
  
He sat up abruptly in his bed, not seeing anything around him, just trying to process what he'd seen in his dream. Dream. Was it a dream? It had seemed so real to him.   
  
The night before, Severus had been reading a brand new book on how the Draught of the Living Death was used throughout history. He had been so fascinated with it that he was up until the early morning hours reading.   
  
'I must have forgotten to take my dreamless sleep potion before I went to bed. That's why I had that strange dream...' But he didn't really believe that taking the potion would have stopped a dream like that from infiltrating his mind. He was well versed enough in the dark arts to know that that was no ordinary dream.   
  
In the dream, Severus had seen an acquaintance of his, Fintan Ashby, a man he saw barely twice a year, brutally murdered. He hadn't had a clear view of the attacker's face; it had been just a blur, but it seemed that Ashby had recognized the man. An idea occurred to him, and he knew what he had to do.  
  
'I'll just floo Fintan... see how he is... It's been a while since we've been in contact.'  
  
Snape quickly rose from his bed, wincing as his feet came in contact with the icy dungeon floor. In a few strides he had crossed his room and opened the bathroom door. He didn't bother turning on the lights. 'It's better this way. I don't have to see my reflection,' he mused darkly.   
  
He leaned down over the sink and splashed his face with cold water. Then he picked up his razor, an old barbershop blade with a wooden handle, and dragged it over his chin. He continued to shave in this manner. When he finished he filled the sink and dunked his head in, wetting his hair. When he had finished "washing" his hair, he grabbed a towel off of the sink and rubbed it, rather roughly, back and forth over his head.   
  
Snape stepped out from the bathroom and changed quickly into black slacks, a white shirt, and a heavy black robe. Having finished his morning ritual, he opened the door to his sitting room and walked over to the large, imposing fireplace.   
  
Reaching into the ceramic pot on the mantel, he grabbed a handful of floo powder. Positioning himself in front of the large fireplace opening, he prepared to throw the powder into the gentle flames that fought desperately against the darkness of his chambers.  
  
Suddenly the flames shot up and took on a greenish hue. Startled, Snape stepped back and dropped the powder he had been holding. He watched as the head of Albus Dumbledore materialized in his fireplace.  
  
~~~  
  
Snape knew there was something wrong when the Headmaster refrained from commenting on the fact that he was standing alone in the dark, looking like a frightened guppy, his mouth hanging open and his eyes bulging. As he regained his composure, Snape noticed that absent from the Headmaster's eyes was the ever-present twinkle that was always a source of comfort. 'This must be serious, indeed,' he thought.  
  
"Severus, I would like to see you in my office as soon as possible." The grave note in Albus Dumbledore's voice told Snape that his assumptions were correct.  
  
"Yes, of course, Headmaster." Snape would not let his voice betray the worry that he felt. It was cool and businesslike.   
  
The Headmaster nodded to Snape and his head disappeared in a whirl of flames, leaving only the dwindling orange flicker of the fire.   
  
Snape muttered a spell under his breath and the powder that lay scattered on the floor flew up into his cupped hand. He promptly threw it into the fireplace, stepped inside, and spoke clearly, but not above a whisper. "The Headmaster's Office."  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione Granger sat at her kitchen table in the London flat she had rented. It was very early, and she still wore her bathrobe and large, pink fuzzy slippers. Not many people would expect Hermione Granger to own a pair of pink fuzzy slippers. They assumed her to be a very serious, no-nonsense kind of woman. She couldn't blame them. Hermione had always put work before everything else. When she dealt with people it was in a very organized, professional manner. The only people who knew about the silly, funny, pink- fuzzy-slippered Hermione were her close friends, and there were only a few of them.   
  
Hermione had always had trouble opening up to people. Even at Hogwarts. She had tried to impress people with her knowledge, but she couldn't easily show them her true feelings. After a while, they only saw her knowledge and not the girl behind it. The know-it-all. That's what she was called. Hermione shuddered. She hated that name and all of the memories attached to it.  
  
Things had to change. She would be the know-it-all no longer. A few weeks ago, Hermione had started her new job, and ever since then she had been trying desperately to open up a bit more with people.  
  
She had just finished her fourth and final year at Oxford Wizarding University. She had majored in History of Magic and had a minor in Transfiguration. Of course she was exceptional in all of her subjects and could have chosen to major in any one of them, but she chose History of Magic. She had always been enamored by history. Her favorite book for years has been Hogwarts: A History.   
  
Her friends had thought she was crazy for choosing to continue with history, "It's the past, Hermione! We're living in the future! Why should we care what happened hundreds of years ago to fat old guys!" Ron had argued.   
  
She had answered him with a reproving glare and her favorite quote, "A person who doesn't know anything about history is like a leaf that doesn't know it was part of a tree."  
  
After she graduated with honors from Oxford, she already had a job waiting for her at the ministry. Now she works in the ministry's archives as a historian. She also spends a great deal of time working with archaeologists who are excavating old Wizarding castles in England and Scotland.  
  
Hermione walked to the sink and conjured a teapot of boiling water and made herself some spiced tea. As she was went back to the table, her slippers shuffling across the floor, she heard a tapping on the window above the sink. She hurried over and saw that a large crimson and gold bird was perched outside on the window ledge, looking expectantly at her with big black eyes.  
  
"Fawkes!" Hermione recognized the bird right away.  
  
She unlatched the window and pushed hard on it, but it stuck. She gave one mighty shove and the window opened wide. Fawkes lifted himself into the air and made an indignant sound in the window's direction. He then flew through the window, dropped a piece of parchment on the table, and landed on the back of Hermione's kitchen chair.  
  
"Thanks, Fawkes." Hermione rewarded the pheonix with a piece of half eaten toast with jam. Fawkes took it from her in his beak, then disappeared in a burst of flame.  
  
After Fawkes had left, Hermione turned her attention to the scroll on the kitchen table. She picked it up and examined it. It had the Hogwarts seal on it, of course as it was no doubt from Dumbledore, and it was addressed to her, Miss H. Granger, in crimson ink.   
  
She quickly undid the seal and read-  
  
Dear Miss Granger,  
  
I hope I find you well. There has recently been a very serious occurrence, and I require your expertise in this event. It is a matter of great importance. Unfortunately it is also of the utmost confidentiality and it would please you not to mention this to anyone else.   
  
Please report to my office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as soon as humanly possible.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Puzzled, Hermione reread the letter... then she read it a third time. 'As soon as humanly possible'? 'It would please you...'? That was certainly Dumbledore's way of saying things. He hasn't lost any of his quirkiness. The formality of the letter did startle her, though. She and Dumbledore had been in contact quite often since she left Hogwarts, and this letter was nothing like the others she had received.   
  
Hermione decided that she didn't have a choice in whether she wanted to go or not, Dumbledore was clearly expecting her. She readied herself in a mere 5 minutes and apparated to the gates separating Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.  
  
She looked up at the imposing castle, a sunny gray against the early morning sky. So many memories came rushing back to her. She pushed them away, remembering the urgency of the note she had received.  
  
She took a deep breath, set her jaw in determination, and set off towards Hogwarts.  
  
~~~  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Thanks for the reviews everyone! I promise, more questions shall be answered in the coming chapter.  
  
"A person who doesn't know anything about history is like a leaf that doesn't know it was part of a tree." - This quote is based off of a quote from the book Timeline by Michael Chrichton. 


	3. The One Living

Disclaimer... Again: In case I hadn't made myself QUITE clear... I do not own anything! That goes for all of the chapters in the past, present, and the future.  
  
Chapter Three: The One Living  
  
Severus Snape sat in one of the deep, squashy red armchairs in Albus Dumbledore's office, staring into the cheery fire. He hadn't yet found out what was going on, because Albus had also requested the presence of Hermione Granger (much to Severus's disgust), and he insisted on waiting for her before beginning.   
  
His peaceful reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door.  
  
"You may come in." Dumbledore commanded.  
  
The door opened slowly, hesitantly, and in walked Hermione Granger.  
  
She had changed so much since Severus had seen her last. She was taller than she had been in her seventh year, and he didn't fail to notice how womanly she had become. She had curves in all the right places, but she was still thin, as she had been before. She had improved her mass of bushy hair; it was now separated, delicate loose curls that just passed the top of her shoulder. Her face was beautiful, but not in the way a model is beautiful. She had a classic, natural beauty, and a fair, clear complexion.   
  
Hermione walked in, showing more confidence than she felt. She walked smoothly and at her full height. Her years of yoga had certainly improved her posture.   
  
Dumbledore walked around his desk and embraced her in a warm fatherly hug. "It's been so long, dear. I wish I could have seen you under better circumstances than what the times afford us now."  
  
Hermione stepped back and gave him an inquiring look, but before she could say anything, a deep, smooth voice addressed her from the other side of the room.  
  
"Miss Granger..." Hermione turned around and was surprised to see Severus Snape standing behind her, his hand outstretched in a formal greeting.  
  
She took the hand offered to her and shook it. "Good day, Professor Snape. I hope you've been well these past few years?" She was surprised by how warm and smooth his hand felt in her own. She'd always expected him to have cold, callused hands, from working with potions. He seemed to have changed a great deal. His features looked younger and more relaxed, as if all the worries that had shown on his face for the past 10 years had been lifted...  
  
"I've been well enough..." was all the answer she received. 'Well I suppose he hasn't changed that much... always the cold, frank, snarky bast-' her thoughts were left behind as she noticed that there was a smile playing on her former potions master's lips. 'He's joking? He's joking with me?' It was enough to bring a smile to her lips as well.  
  
She was brought back to earth when she heard Dumbledore clearing his throat rather loudly...   
  
Her and Snape both turned to face him, almost guiltily.   
  
Snape spoke first. "Headmaster, I'd like to know what this is about. Now."  
  
"Patience, Severus, you shall know soon enough. Have either of you seen this morning's Daily Prophet? No? Well, luckily I have a copy here on my desk..." With that, Dumbledore handed Snape the said newspaper and sat back in his chair as the two stared in shock at the picture on the front page.   
  
It was of a man. His robes were ripped open, and on his chest was the Dark Mark, burnt into his skin.  
  
~~~  
  
"Fintan..." Snape whispered.  
  
"You knew him?" Hermione tried not to sound too curious.  
  
"He was an acquaintance. I hadn't seen him in months. What bothers me is..." Shaking slightly, Snape turned to Dumbledore. "Headmaster. I - I have to tell you something..." Here he paused.  
  
Dumbledore motioned for him to continue.  
  
"Last night. I forgot to take my dreamless sleep potion... and I - I saw in my dream... I saw Fintan Ashby murdered." Snape whispered the last part almost painfully.  
  
The old man just nodded, as if he had expected this. "And did you see his attacker?"  
  
"No, Headmaster. His face was a blur. But I saw Mr. Ashby's reaction when the man's hood fell. He seemed to recognize him."  
  
"Interesting..." Dumbledore murmured.  
  
"Why? Why should that be interesting?" Hermione was fascinated by what she was hearing.  
  
It was Snape who answered. "Because, Miss Granger, Fintan Ashby was something of a recluse. He hardly ever came out into public. To tell the truth, I don't think he knew very many people at all."  
  
Hermione looked down at the picture on the newspaper. The one thing that puzzled her was the brand on the man's chest. The Dark Mark.   
  
It was the end of Hermione's seventh year when Voldemort was defeated. He had been planning a full-fledged attack on Hogwarts for months and, thanks to Snape's espionage, the Order of the Pheonix had been aware of the plan for as long as the Death Eaters themselves had. When the attack did come, they were ready and waiting. They suffered few casualties. The same could not have been said of the Death Eaters, all of whom were either caught or killed. In the final moments of the battle, it had been Harry and Voldemort. According to the prophecy, if anyone were to kill the Dark Lord, it would have been Harry, and he had to do it alone.   
  
In the end, the Boy-Who-Lived lived yet again, and the great Lord Voldemort met with his doom. He had been defeated once and for all. Hermione herself had seen the body. Among the casualties that the Order suffered was the former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, Hogwarts Professor, Madam Hooch, and Order member, Blaise Zambini.   
  
After the battle, Arthur Weasley had been elected Minister of Magic (by a unanimous vote), and since then Hogwarts and the Ministry had coexisted peacefully. Of course, the Wizarding World had not been entirely ridded of pureblood obsessed wizards, and the Dark Mark had turned up a few times since then, but they were the empty threats of a disunited force. Individual loonies were easy to deal with... but this...   
  
It was the first time since the fall of Voldemort that the Dark Mark had been paired with a death. The other incidents had just been a smoky symbol in the air. Nothing more. Maybe a robbery, but no murder.   
  
Hermione was worried because she knew of another evil cult that used the Dark Mark to represent them. They would burn it into the flesh of their opponents, and then they'd kill them in a public place, as a warning to others like them. This clan however had not existed for hundreds of years. They had faded out and it just wasn't possible that this murder could have been linked to them in any way...  
  
"Hermione, dear." She looked up to see Dumbledore regarding her with one of his knowing looks.   
  
"Why don't you tell us about this brand." Dumbledore prompted her, looking over his spectacles.   
  
"If I may, Headmaster, I believe I was the Death Eater turned spy..." Snape spoke up from the other side of the room. Apparently he'd been pacing and had ended up in front of the fire, once again.  
  
"Indeed, Severus, you were, but if I am not mistaken, this mark is not that of a Death Eater. It is something else entirely, of which I have next to no knowledge about, but our dear Miss Granger... does."   
  
Snape's gaze rested on Hermione in an almost challenging way.   
  
Reverting back to her know-it-all days, Hermione began pouring forth information, regurgitating it as if she had swallowed all of her history texts whole. Snape rolled his eyes.  
  
"Around the time that Hogwarts was founded," she began, "about 1000 AD, there was a group of alchemists and potions masters who were working together to discover the magical properties of snake venom... a very potent and dangerous substance, as you well know." She glanced in Snape's direction as she said this. He seemed to be pouting.  
  
"At that time, muggles were persecuting suspected witches and wizards, so everything they did had to be secret. They kept their society a secret in the Wizarding World as well, so as not to arouse suspicion and publicity... they preferred to work quietly and undisturbed. They created a secret brotherhood called the Soladicium De Medicamentum, in English it roughly translates to the Society of Potions. As you can tell, they were a very creative bunch." This earned an amused snort from Snape's side of the room.  
  
"Through their research the brotherhood discovered that snake venom has two effects. To cure or to kill. Half of the society was interested in the venom's ability to kill, and the other half was fascinated by its healing properties. Disagreements arose between the two groups and a rift developed. Finally, the brotherhood was split into two smaller societies.   
  
"The secret potions society that dealt with snake venom's killing capacity was called Neconnus. Neco, which is Latin, literally means kill. Historians have now gathered enough evidence to safely say that Salazar Slytherin himself led this newly formed brotherhood. There were many famous evil wizards who had been a part of the brotherhood at one point in time, Gregory the Smarmy and Merwyn the Malicious to name a few.  
  
"The reason that Fintan Ashby's murder relates to the Neconnus is this... They would torture their adversaries by branding them alive with the brotherhood's mark, the Skull and Serpent. The same illustration that we now refer to as the Dark Mark.  
  
"Their rival society was the other half of the Soladicium De Medicamentum, who had formed a brotherhood called the Remmehdi. They were dedicated to finding the ways that snake venom could be used to cure. Some members were Merlin, Cornelius Agrippa, and Nicholas Flamel. They too had a mark. In fact, it is the very same that muggle healers, or doctors as they are called, now use as their symbol. It is called the caduceus. It depicts two serpents winding their way up a pole and becoming intertwined. At the top of the pole is a set of doves wings, outstretched. It is the opposite of the Skull and Serpent, it symbolizes healing and peace, while the other stands for death and suffering.   
  
"When Voldemort began his reign of terror, he adopted the Skull and Serpent, renaming it the Dark Mark. No one remembered that the very same mark evoked just as much fear hundreds of years ago. Voldemort took all of the glory for it. And, so, the Neconnus were forgotten..."  
  
Here Hermione voiced what she had been thinking earlier when looking at the photograph of Mr. Ashby. "But this occurrence couldn't possibly have anything to do with the Neconnus or the Remmehdi, both of the brotherhoods have been dormant for at least 3 centuries. Historians are convinced that they just died out..."  
  
Dumbledore spoke to her, looking very grave. "Hermione, dear, the Remmehdi is not extinct as you and so many others have thought. They have been alive and well all of these years, that is, until recently. Someone has been killing them off, one by one, and we're not sure how or why."  
  
"But how do you - " Hermione tried unsuccessfully to interject.  
  
Dumbledore continued in a low, commanding voice, "Fintan Ashby was their secret keeper. He was also the only member to be killed in a public place. There is only one known member left and right now, he's standing a few feet behind you."  
  
~~~  
  
As Dumbledore said this, Hermione's gaze wandered to where Snape was standing. He seemed to be looking at an indiscernible point on the floor, but as Hermione watched him, his eyes moved up and met hers.   
  
She felt a chill creep up her spine. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, both men were looking at her intently, watching for her reaction. She stared absently at the fire and her mouth formed the shape of a silent "O."   
  
For the first time in years, Hermione Granger was speechless.  
  
~~~  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Pronunciation:  
  
Neconnus = Neck-oh-nis. With an accent on the "oh"  
  
Remmehdi = Remm-eh-dee. Accent on the "eh"  
  
Whew! That was a tough one to write! I PROMISE... there will be more moving around in chapters to come... they've sort of just been standing there... but I had to set up for the rest of the story.  
  
Thank you for the brilliant reviews! I love you guys so much! Getting reviews makes not only my day, but my entire week!  
  
I swear upon my Severus Snape action figure that from now on, I will review every story that I read!  
  
Thanks again... and don't forget to r&r! 


	4. The Mysteriorum Antiquitas

Chapter Four: The Mysteriorum Antiquitas  
  
Her thoughts were jumbled and confused, bouncing every which way, ricocheting off the inside of her skull. She felt a headache coming on.  
  
Only one thought was very pronounced, it stood out like a butterfly among a swarm of bees. 'If the Remmehdi are not gone, like we'd believed, then that means-"  
  
"The Neconnus may yet exist, as well." Dumbledore's strong voice cut through the thick silence that had settled in the room.  
  
Hermione blinked at Dumbledore. It was not the first time that she'd had the feeling that the old man could read minds. He was probably a Leglimens.  
  
Dumbledore stood up from where he sat at his desk and walked around to the front, the Daily Prophet in his hand.  
  
"Hermione, I've asked you here because we need your expertise in this matter. but what I'm going to ask you to do will involve more than just your knowledge."  
  
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. She always got frustrated when Dumbledore spoke in riddles.  
  
"You see," he continued, "there's more to the story of the Remmehdi. There are things that only its members know, and something very important that I now know of, thanks to Severus." Dumbledore's eyes danced over to where Snape was standing.  
  
Hermione was taken aback. She kept forgetting that Snape was in the room. For all the noise he made, he might not have been.  
  
Dumbledore gave Snape a look that implored him to explain.  
  
Snape drew in a very slow and silent breath, then began in a very even voice. "Apparently, hundreds of years ago, the Remmehdi made a potion." He said very casually.  
  
"It was not just any potion. It was THE potion. The ultimate healing potion. It did the one thing that no other magic could do. It brought people back from the dead." Here he paused for suspense. His words had the desired effect. Hermione's eyes flew open, and some of the portraits on the walls started whispering excitedly.  
  
"Of course the brotherhood realized what sort of consequences this potion would have if it fell into the wrong hands, so they decided to lock it away. They hid it somewhere. They say it's impossible to find. Furthermore they protected it with a Fidelius Charm. Only one member was the secret keeper. Before that member died, he passed the secret on to another member, and he became the secret keeper for a time. If there was an emergency, and the secret keeper died before he could pass on the information, then there was a piece of paper in the secret keeper's possession that would lead them to the secret location of the potion. After a while, the society began referring to the potion as the Mysteriorum Antiquitas, which translates to--"  
  
"Ancient Secret," Hermione whispered in awe. "I have heard of it, but it was so guarded that no one even knew what sort of secret it was. except the brotherhood of course. and now me."  
  
Snape's expression turned sour as his voice changed to a spiteful, sarcastic caress, "And of course bloody Fintan Ashby had to be our bloody secret keeper! Of all people!"  
  
"Why? Is it your opinion that he wasn't suited for the position?" Hermione asked.  
  
Snape scowled. 'That's rather personal,' he thought. but he found himself answering her question in spite of himself.  
  
"He was very scatterbrained. A terribly confused man, if I do say so. He was so damned secretive! He hardly ever left his house."  
  
She looked at Snape ironically. Did he know how hypocritical his last two accusations were?  
  
"I believe that being secretive would be an asset when one is a secret keeper." Hermione teased.  
  
Snape shot a look of pure venom in her direction. For some reason she didn't seem to care.  
  
"Well then. Now we come to the real reason I have called you both here." Dumbledore's voice sounded again.  
  
"You two are going to find the Mysteriorum Antiquitas."  
  
~~~  
  
"Find th--! Could you repeat that last bit, because I don't believe I heard you correctly. I'm getting older and my hearing isn't what it used to be." Snape said all this in one breath; his tone of voice could only be described as panicked. He dug his finger into his ear in an attempt to improve his hearing.  
  
"Severus, your ears are in perfect working order," Dumbledore returned, his amusement shone brightly in his eyes.  
  
"Find the Mysteriorum Antiquitas! YOU -"  
  
"-Ah, so you did hear me-," Dumbledore winked at Hermione, his chin resting on folded hands.  
  
Snape continued as if he hadn't heard him. "YOU CRAZY OLD LOON! We can't find the legendary Mysteriorum Antiquitas in a few hours! What do you propose we do? Just waltz up to Fintan Ashby's home in muggle London (which is heavily warded, no doubt), burst in on a murder investigation and- "  
  
"There is no investigation," Dumbledore interjected softly.  
  
"What! Don't be silly, of course there's an investigation."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
Hermione, who had been watching in frightened disbelief as Snape, pink- cheeked and agitated, had blown up at a completely unfazed Dumbledore, now regained her usual thought processes.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," She began, "the ministry always does an investigation after a murder. Surely, after one as strange as this they would want to know what happened, wouldn't they?"  
  
"I am afraid, my dear, that some ministry officials would rather it remain a mystery than uncover another threat like Voldemort. They belong to the school of 'ignorance is bliss,' and believe me, they are the epitome of ignorance." While he said this, Hermione watched as Dumbledore's sparkling, crystal blue eyes grew dark and were clouded over. A storm raged inside of them and then something that looked rather like lightening flashed across them. Hermione blinked, and when she looked again, his eyes had returned to being as blue as the sky.  
  
Now she understood why Voldemort had feared him.  
  
"But Arthur Weasley is not like that at all. He's no coward."  
  
"Ah, yes. Forgive me, Hermione, I was not including him in my analysis of the ministry. Even as Minister of Magic, Arthur must have the approval of the High Wizarding Council before he can do anything regarding Mr. Ashby's death."  
  
Dumbledore paused and looked thoughtful. "So you see. you will have no trouble with Ministry officials at the late Mr. Ashby's home."  
  
Turning to Snape, he continued, "And, Severus, you need not waltz there. walking will suffice." Dumbledore twinkled. "But I can see how you would want to, with a partner as lovely as Miss Granger."  
  
Snape clenched his teeth and his fists simultaneously, and Hermione raised her hand to her mouth, to stifle a giggle.  
  
When Dumbledore had finished his merry chuckling, he spoke again. "As to your first argument, rest assured that you most certainly will have more than a few hours to find the Mysteriorum Antiquitas."  
  
Turning to Hermione, Dumbledore said, "Which leads me to my next order of business. Miss Granger, I must ask a tremendous favor of you, and I can't accept a refusal." The seriousness of his tone was reflected in his eyes.  
  
"For this project to be successful, I will need you to come to Hogwarts for the year. Professor Binns has decided to pursue his lifelong (and deathlong) dream of joining an African tribe, and has therefore relinquished the History of Magic teaching position here at Hogwarts. I would be very honored if you would be willing to teach the class."  
  
Hermione didn't know what to say. She'd always dreamt of teaching at Hogwarts. And to teach History of Magic! How could she refuse! She'd only read Hogwarts: A History. Merlin knows how many times (she'd stopped counting after 12).  
  
When she finally recovered enough to speak, she said, "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Albus!"  
  
Dumbledore beamed proudly. Then as if remembering something important, his eyebrows shot up and his mouth slackened. Hermione braced herself for yet another shock.  
  
"Oh, dear, how rude I've been! You haven't even been offered tea! Well, I shall go and get some now." With that, Dumbledore turned and climbed the steps to his observatory.  
  
Now that everything had begun to calm down, Hermione started to look around the room that she hadn't seen in four long years.  
  
Not much had changed. The ceiling was high and the walls were lined with portraits of the old headmasters. Most were snoring and slumped against their frames, but a few were watching her intently. They whispered to each other, their eyes darting between her and another point in the room. She turned to see what other thing they were looking at, and again, her eyes met with the tall, dark figure of Severus Snape.  
  
He'd been regarding her with something like interest, but when she turned to look at him, his face had hardened into its customary scowl.  
  
He wanted to make her look away, so he could observe her again, so he gave her his most vicious scowl. scowl number 27. the scowl reserved for double potions with the Gryffindors. He scowled. And he scowled. But she didn't seem affected by it. 'Dammit,' he thought, 'why isn't she afraid!'  
  
Hermione could tell he was trying to intimidate her, but why, she didn't know. She just regarded him with her unwavering cheeriness.  
  
All of a sudden there was a whoosh and the glitter of gold and crimson wings. Fawkes landed lightly on Snape's shoulder. He turned his glare to the bird, which just blinked at him. Severus then tried swatting it away with his hand. Fawkes hovered above him briefly, but quickly returned to his previous perch. The bird was obviously close to his burning stage because as he moved his wings, his feathers fell onto Snape's black robes.  
  
Hermione burst out laughing. Snape looked as though he had eaten one of Fred and George's canary cremes. She walked over to where he stood and drew out her wand. Muttering a quick cleaning spell, she lazily flicked her wand, and the feathers disappeared.  
  
He just scowled at her more.  
  
"Well, then perhaps I should have left them there a bit longer, professor," she teased.  
  
His face softened gradually, until he was grinning.  
  
"Thank you, Miss Granger. For some reason this ridiculous bird has taken a liking to me," he explained.  
  
"I can see that," she said. She added as an afterthought, "and please, call me Hermione. We're colleagues now, apparently."  
  
"Indeed we are. In that case call me Severus, as the rest of the staff do."  
  
With that Hermione turned to face him, offering him her hand. "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger."  
  
He gave her a questioning look, but he took her hand and shook it. "And I'm Severus Snape."  
  
She smiled and said, "It's nice to re-meet you."  
  
He gave her a small smile and drew his hand back rather quickly. "Miss Gr- Hermione, it seems to me that you are almost happy at the prospect of teaching a bunch of selfish, hormonal teenagers. Is this true?"  
  
"Well, yes I--," she began, but was interrupted when there was a loud crash from Dumbledore's observatory.  
  
The Headmaster shouted down the stairs, "Oh, oh, watch out down there."  
  
At that exact moment, a teacart came flying down the flight of stairs at a tremendous rate of speed and headed directly towards Hermione and Severus. Before she knew it, the teacart had knocked Hermione backwards, but instead of falling down, she collided with Snape's front. He steadied her with one hand on her back and the other on her elbow.  
  
"Are you alright, Hermione?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, thank you," she replied.  
  
He relinquished his hand on her back, but kept his hold on her elbow. He guided her to one of the red, squashy armchairs.  
  
"Oh, my dears!" Dumbledore's feet started down the stairs, the rest of his body coming into view as he descended. "Forgive my teacart. It's so eager, and I believe it was a little over excited."  
  
"Yes, well, please tell your teacart that it nearly killed Hermione and I," Snape grumbled. "I like a teacart with a bit more propriety." He added sarcastically.  
  
Dumbledore twinkled at Snape's use of Hermione's given name.  
  
"How about some tea, then?" Dumbledore said cheerily.  
  
~~~  
  
After they had each had at least one cup of tea, and Dumbledore had explained where she would be staying (the house elves had already retrieved the things she would need from her London flat), and what the teaching job entailed, Hermione began to have questions about her and Snape's assignment.  
  
"Albus, why exactly are we even going to look for the Mysteriorum Antiquitas? If it is already hidden, shouldn't it be left alone so that it doesn't become a danger to society?" She asked.  
  
"Ah, I knew you would ask that question, Hermione. To put it frankly, we must find it before someone else does. Once a secret keeper dies, if the secret is not passed on, then it is no longer under the Fidelius Charm's protection. Also, we cannot be sure that Mr. Ashby did not tell the secret to his attacker in an attempt to save his life. Wherever the Mysteriorum Antiquitas is now, it is less safe than it would be at Hogwarts."  
  
Dumbledore, seeing that his guests were finished with their tea, and had no further questions, dismissed them. "Severus, would you please show Hermione to her new quarters, I believe they are on your way."  
  
Severus and Hermione stood up and found themselves being guided to the door by the headmaster. Once the large oak door had closed behind them, Dumbledore turned around, a mischievous glint in his eyes.  
  
"This assignment may prove to be beneficial in more than one way."  
  
He then walked back to his desk, humming a tune, and popped a lemon drop into his mouth.  
  
~~~  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Thanks everyone for the reviews. Sorry I haven't updated in a while (finals were a killer this year, and the holidays are no better).  
  
Hope you liked the chapter. more on the way.  
  
Happy New Year Everyone!! ::puts on a party hat and dances around:: 


	5. Settling In

Chapter Five: Settling In  
  
As she walked down the deserted hallways of Hogwarts, Hermione was acutely aware of the dark man walking a few steps ahead of her and to her right. She could see his profile. His nose jutted out harshly, widening a bit, and then plummeted down to the ground. Well not really. But he had a big nose. Though, big noses had never really bothered her, in fact, all the men she had dated had had large noses. Victor Krum may have begun that trend. Ron was no exception either. They'd dated in their seventh year of school, much to the happiness of everyone but herself. Ron talked continually about quidditch (which she definitely did not share his enthusiasm for), but whenever she brought up a topic, he would dismiss it as boring.  
  
She glanced at Snape's face again. His eyes looked straight ahead, but they weren't really seeing. They were distant and unfocused. She knew that look. She was sure that her friends often saw it on her face. It was the thoughtful look of a face whose brain thought about things... and thought deeply.   
  
Snape had said nothing since they'd left Dumbledore's office, and recognizing that he was not one for idle chat, Hermione had reciprocated his silence. Their footsteps echoed in a steady rhythm, bouncing off the walls, creating a sort of music. It was something for her to focus on so she could ignore the uncomfortable silence that hovered between Snape and herself.   
  
Her shoes clicked when they struck the ground and his... hardly made any sound, except for a slight squeaking. Add to that the swishing of his robes and...  
  
Squeak click swish click squeak click swish click squeak...  
  
His strides were obviously longer than hers.  
  
Squeak click swish click squeak click click click click...  
  
His squeaking and swishing had stopped. She halted, looking up from the ground. He was standing next to a large tapestry that hung against the wall, covering a width of three feet of stone, starting at the ceiling and reaching down to the floor. The tapestry was clearly ancient (as is most everything in Hogwarts). At the top, in old English writing, were the words... "Ye Olde Stars." The rest of the tapestry was midnight blue, and every inch of it was covered in gorgeous, shining, white stars. It was a tapestry depicting the night sky.   
  
"It's charmed just like the ceiling in the great hall, except it only shows the changes in the nighttime sky. Tonight should be clear." Hermione was startled when he spoke. She'd gotten used to the silence.   
  
"Wow..." she breathed. And she meant it.   
  
As she and Snape drew nearer to the tapestry, she could hear a faint sound coming from it. A step closer, and she recognized the sound to be voices. A million, sweet voices, each like the ringing of a tiny bell. 'All stars have voices,' she realized. They seemed to be whispering, wondering who she was. One star was brighter than the others, and she could hear it the best.   
  
"Quiet please," it sang, and the voices were silenced. "What is your name, love?"  
  
Snape spoke from behind her. "Her name is Professor Hermione Granger. She will be occupying the room that you protect."  
  
"And does she have the password?" The star tinkled pleasantly.  
  
"Fizzing Whizbee," Snape grimaced as he said this. As an afterthought he added, "Albus chose it, of course."  
  
Hermione smiled at Snape's annoyed tone of voice. After Snape said the password, the tapestry gracefully fluttered to the right, as if a sudden gust of wind had caught it and was now pushing it aside. Hermione had thought that there would be a door behind it, but was surprised to find an arched passageway, only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. 'Good thing I'm not claustrophobic,' she thought ironically.  
  
Snape motioned for her to go first. As she stepped through the archway, lanterns (hidden in nooks in the wall) were lit instantly. Twenty feet ahead of her, she could make out a very old, arched, wooden door. When she reached it, she was not surprised to find that there was no doorknob, but a very old, cast-iron ring. She pulled on the large ring and the door yielded to her automatically. Snape reached in front of her and held it open. She stepped through.   
  
Walking into the room, she was met with a historian's dream. The room was ancient, the furniture was ancient, the bookcase was ancient, and (to Hermione's extreme pleasure) the books were ancient. Everything was old. She was ecstatic.   
  
"There will be a staff meeting in an hour. All staff meetings are mandatory." Her mood wasn't even broken with Snape's unfavorable tidings.   
  
"Yes, yes, of course," she waved his comment to the side. "This room is magnificent!"  
  
"Yes, quite." Severus said unenthusiastically. Returning to business he said, "Once you are settled in, you can change your password to whatever you like. If you no longer need my assistance..." He trailed off, gesturing towards the door. His meaning was clear.  
  
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry. You can leave... Thank you, Severus." Hermione dismissed him.  
  
"Think nothing of it," he drawled nonchalantly. With that he swept out of the room, the door falling closed behind him.   
  
Hermione looked around the room once more, noticing that the house elves had brought her trunks already, and breathed a sigh of contentment.   
  
~~~  
  
Forty-five minutes later found her directing her belongings to their places as they popped out of her trunk and into the air. Books, robes, pictures, and more zipped around the room as Hermione pointed her wand at them.  
  
It had taken her most of the time to clean the room, which had collected a considerable amount of dust and cobwebs. Now she was unpacking furiously, trying to finish before the staff meeting which was in... fifteen minutes! With a wave of her wand, the doors to the piece of furniture which would hold her clothes sprang open. She dumped the trunk with her robes and muggle clothing onto the floor. She worked quickly moving the clothes to her new closet, and at last she was finished. Panting from the effort, she glanced at her watch and saw that she had five minutes until the meeting started. She realized that she couldn't bother with her appearance or she would be late. Hermione bolted out the door and ran down the small corridor. When she reached it, the tapestry swung aside again. She stepped into the dim light of the corridor.  
  
She looked around. Nothing was familiar. She ran down the corridor to her right. Still completely unfamiliar. Why hadn't she been paying attention to Snape's route to her room! She started running down the corridor to the left of her room... then she heard footsteps.   
  
Squeak swish squeak swish squeak swish...  
  
She knew those footsteps! Snape! She heard them coming closer and she saw Snape come from around a corner.   
  
"Severus!" She exclaimed. Never had she been more excited to see the brooding figure of Severus Snape.  
  
"Hermione. Albus instructed me to escort you to the staff meeting."  
  
She walked over to him. He took in her appearance. Her robes were dusty, her hair was frizzy, and her cheeks were very pink indeed. 'She looks well, even when she's disheveled.' The thought came unbidden to his mind, and he immediately wondered if he was going insane.  
  
He turned sharply on his heel and started walking in the direction that he had come from. He walked in front of her, just as before. After a hundred yards or so down the hallway, they came to be at the head of the grand staircase.   
  
Hermione felt like such an idiot. She had been so close to the entrance hall, and she hadn't even known it. 'Good one, Granger.' Her cheeks started burning with embarrassment.   
  
Snape noticed her obvious shame at not knowing how close she was, and he chuckled.   
  
"This way," he said over his shoulder as he descended the stairs.  
  
"I know where I am now, thank you very much." She grumbled to her shoes.  
  
~~~  
  
When they reached the door to the staff room, Snape made a movement as if to open it, but then stopped abruptly. He turned again to Hermione.   
  
"Before we go in..." He withdrew his wand, pointed it at her robe and muttered a spell under his breath.   
  
The dust that had covered it fell to the floor and her robe was, once again, black.   
  
Her cheeks were pink again as she said, "Thank you," this time talking to Snape's shoes.   
  
Snape turned to the door and struggled to hide a grin. He held the door open and she walked in. Immediately, every face in the room was turned in her direction. She recognized all but two of them. There was a large, bald wizard with a handlebar moustache that she had not seen before. She wondered what he would be teaching. Her eyes made a circle around the table to where another man was seated. His eyes met hers. They were a dark blue. His hair was jet black. As they made eye contact he flashed her a drop-dead gorgeous smile, managing to show every one of his perfect, white teeth (she was a daughter of dentists... how could she not notice the teeth?).   
  
A jolly voice greeted her from the head of the table. "Ah, Hermione. Severus. So glad you could make it." She didn't have to look at Dumbledore to know that he was smiling. "Please... have a seat."  
  
"Everyone," he continued, "this is Miss Hermione Granger. She is our new History of Magic Professor. Hermione, I'm sure you are acquainted with most everyone here. For those you don't know..." he gestured first to Mr. Handlebar Moustache, "This is Nigel Barett, our flight instructor, and this..." he now gestured to the young handsome man that she had made eye contact with, "is Archie Macdonald, our new Arithmancy Professor."  
  
~~~  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I was going to put more into this chapter... but I really wanted to post another chapter, so I'm saving it all for chapter 6.  
  
So... any Monarch of the Glen fans? That's were I got the name Archie Macdonald. Clearly very Scottish.   
  
Any speculations? Will there be a love triangle? Will the suspense ever end? Maybe. Maybe not.  
  
A SPECIAL THANK-YOU to my reviewers. Your comments are encouraging, and make me want to write more. For who would write, if there were no comments to be had?  
  
SiriusSparrow- Thank you for your enthusiastic review, I'm so pleased to have made it to your favs. list. Although you may not remember, but you've reviewed twice... and please... continue to review more. I LOVE REVIEWS!  
  
As always, please r&r! 


	6. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Vixen

Chapter Six: Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Vixen  
  
She met Archie Macdonald's eyes, yet again, and her stomach dropped down to her toes. Gorgeous man! He was going to be a teacher here at Hogwarts? How would she get any work done?   
  
Hermione nodded to both men in greeting. She noticed that there were only two empty seats remaining at the table, and she moved to take the one next to Minerva McGonagall. After she had sat down, Snape slid gracefully into the open seat on Hermione's other side.  
  
The meeting progressed with very little excitement. Hermione looked around at her former-professors-turned-colleagues. Tiny Professor Flitwick had his eyes closed and the large stack of books he sat upon teetered dangerously. He didn't seem to notice.   
  
McGonagall was looking straight ahead of her, wearing the blankest expression Hermione had ever seen; it was worthy of Ron during one of Professor Binns' lectures on the goblin rebellion.   
  
Hermione looked at the man to her right. Snape sat with his arms crossed over his chest. He was leaning back a bit in the chair, but still managed to keep his usual "stiff as a board" posture. His scowl deepened with each passing minute. And how the minutes passed...  
  
Dumbledore was still chattering away merrily. First he'd started going through the schedule for the coming term, but everyone knew that anyway. The students were arriving in a mere 4 days. That is about as much useful information as Hermione had gotten from Dumbledore's ramblings. 'What tangents that man can go off on!' she thought. After about ten minutes, she had stopped paying attention, but every so often she would catch snatches of what he was saying. Individual words such as "lolly," "wigwam," and "conga line" had gotten through to her conscious mind; after which she promptly decided she would rather be unconscious than listen to this for much longer.  
  
Her prayers were answered. She was suddenly aware that the incessant chatter had stopped. The room was silent. Slowly, she looked up at Dumbledore, who was smiling cheerily at his staff. The other teachers all looked rather groggy, as if they'd just woken up from an unsatisfying nap.  
  
Dumbledore beamed. "Meeting's over!"   
  
As Severus and Hermione began rising stiffly from their chairs, he called them back. "Hermione. Severus. If you two will stay a moment."  
  
Resigned to their fate, they slumped back into the chairs that they had hoped to leave behind forever.  
  
After the last member of the staff had exited, Dumbledore began, "You two have this Friday and the weekend to start your assignment. It would be a good idea to get as far as you can before the term starts. Having students around will undoubtedly make the task more difficult, especially if we are to have any "dream team" reincarnates this year..." His eyes glittered with amusement.  
  
"Oh, please, don't even joke about that," Snape moaned miserably.  
  
Hermione shot him a glare, clearly affronted.  
  
"Don't attempt to deny, Miss Granger, that you three gave me a world of trouble as students." Snape unconsciously reverted back to using her student name.   
  
Feeling indignant at his use of her formal title she answered, " I'm not denying, merely-"  
  
"-Aha! So you admit that you-"  
  
"-Severus and Hermione," Dumbledore cut into their little skirmish, "I cannot express how glad I am to see that you enjoy each others company so thoroughly that you will remain in the staff room after an excruciatingly long meeting, but I must ask you to take your discussion elsewhere as I have some business to attend to." As before in his office, Dumbledore ushered them to the door and shut it behind them.   
  
~~~  
  
Severus and Hermione stood outside the staff room door, not looking at each other.   
  
He was the first to speak. "Miss Granger, I trust you can find your way back to your room without my assistance?" He snarled.  
  
"It's Hermione, and I'm sure I'll do well on my own. Thank you, Severus." Her answer, feigned gratitude and all, was uttered with as much venom as Snape's question had been. 'Miss Granger the school girl is no more,' she thought.   
  
The two parted ways then and there, without another word or glance exchanged between them. Snape swept off, his robes trailing behind him, rippling as he walked quickly towards the dungeons. Hermione walked in the opposite direction, straight and tall, and began to ascend the grand staircase. She suddenly remembered that she and Snape would have to talk about what they were doing tomorrow. She suspected that they would be starting their research at Fintan Ashby's apartment, but she had to confirm it with him. Damned if she'd call him back now, though. She wasn't going to be the first to relent. She wouldn't let him have that satisfaction.  
  
She was so lost in her thoughts that the man following her went unnoticed. He had been waiting for her near the base of the stairs, but she hadn't seen him there. She was walking very quickly, but he was soon in stride with her. She looked up surprised at the sudden company. She was even more surprised when she saw who it was.  
  
~~~  
  
The gorgeous Archie Macdonald was walking next to her. Her stomach did another cliff dive. He stopped walking, and so did she.   
  
"Professor Macdonald!" she said, her surprise evident.  
  
"Please, call me Archie," he offered. "I don't believe we've had a proper introduction," with that he held out his hand to her.  
  
He hadn't said anything at the staff meeting, so upon hearing his voice for the first time, Hermione was pleased to find that he had a very prominent Scottish accent.   
  
She put her hand in his, intending to shake it, but before she could, he raised her hand to his lips and pressed it in a soft kiss. She was speechless. Her hand had never been kissed before. It was something she'd only seen in muggle movies. She didn't know what to do, but since he didn't relinquish his grasp on her hand, she just left it there.  
  
"Miss Hermione Granger. History expert, the woman who read Hogwarts: A History a countless number of times, and now Professor of History of Magic. I've heard all about you from the other staff members and it is wonderful to make your acquaintance at last." She loved they way the "r"s rolled off his tongue.   
  
Picking her own tongue up off of the floor, she said, "That's very kind, but I'm afraid I know nothing about you. Judging by your accent, I'm assuming that you grew up in Scotland?"  
  
"That I did."  
  
"Did you attend Hogwarts, then?"  
  
"Yes, I think I was in the class that graduated 3 years ahead of you."  
  
"How do you know when I graduated?" she inquired, suddenly suspicious.  
  
"You were one of Harry Potter's friends, weren't you? I remember that he was three years my junior." He answered. She should have expected something like that.  
  
At that moment, all the events of the day caught up with her, and she realized just how tired she was.   
  
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Archie. I'm sure I shall see you around quite a bit more. If you'll excuse me, I still have a bit of unpacking to do before I retire for the night."  
  
"Of course, Hermione. Good night," he said sweetly.   
  
~~~  
  
She'd had no trouble finding her way back to her private chambers. The earlier event had given her purpose to ingrain the location of her rooms into her mind forever. She did not want a repeat of that embarrassing moment.  
  
She was wearing flannel pajamas, in the Gryffindor house colors (a "welcome back" gift from Minerva), and her fluffy pink slippers. She was thinking about all that had happened in the last day. It was hard to believe that it had all been so recent. It seemed like a month ago. Of course, she would miss her job at the ministry, but as she hadn't had it for very long, she couldn't feel sad about leaving it so soon. Besides, she now had the job that she'd always dreamed of. Hogwarts Professor. 'It's about time the place had some fresh blood. When I attended the school, every one of the professors had been over 60 at least. With the exception of Snape,' she thought.  
  
Her mind settled itself on its new topic. Severus Snape. What a strange man. The contrast in his person is as stark as the contrast between his skin and his hair. In fact, he is contrast personified. His raven black hair and pitch black eyes against his pale skin. His stark black robes against the flash of white at his collar. His pleasant smile and his harsh, sarcastic attitude. The silky tone he used when he spoke his biting words. Everything about him was contrasting. And now she had to work with him. She had to figure him out.   
  
She had her work cut out for her.  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione awoke to a knock on her door. She rolled out of bed, slipped her slippers on, and ran to one of the large oak doors in her bedroom, yanking it open. 'Nope, that's the closet.' She ran to another. 'So, there's the bathroom!' She ran to the final door and yanked it open.   
  
She stumbled into her small sitting room, and headed for the door that opened to the narrow corridor protected by the tapestry. "Coming!" She shouted, stretching out her hand to push the door open... but before she could, it opened on it's own. Or rather, she thought it had, until she saw Severus Snape walk in.   
  
"No need," he said, "I just let myself in." He smiled at her sarcastically.  
  
"I can see that. How did you get past the tapestry?"  
  
"Hermione, I warned you to change your password..." He grinned mischievously.  
  
"Yes, well... your using it to break in was just the sort of motivation I needed. I shall change it straight away. Tell me, Severus, are you accustomed to calling on your colleagues at obscenely early hours of the morning?" She asked, very annoyed.  
  
"Obscenely early! Why, Hermione, it is nearly 6:30! Half the day is gone! We have work to do." He said with counterfeit cheer, clearly enjoying her frustration. He then made a very showy display of looking her up and down, starting at her head, dragging his eyes down the Gryffindor colored flannels, all the way to her pink-fuzzy-slippered-toes.   
  
"I suppose Minerva supplied you with the sleeping attire. Except for those," he said pointing to her slippers, "those I'm sure are very much your own."  
  
'Now what's that supposed to mean!' she thought angrily. She knew that he was in jest, but the way he was looking at her was truly disconcerting. Butterflies began fluttering about in her stomach. That organ had been through a lot in the past two days, thanks to Snape and Archie.  
  
"If you could just wait a few minutes, I'll get ready." Hermione disappeared into the next room.  
  
Snape glanced around the sitting room that he had seen yesterday. It really was charming. He walked over to the bookcase. He could tell which books were ancient texts and which ones Hermione had brought along with her. He heard the shower go on in the next room. 'It'll probably be more than a few minutes, then,' he thought sarcastically. He thought about how much he had enjoyed the charade of looking her up and down. Smiling to himself he pulled one of Hermione's books from the shelf, sat down in a cushioned, high back chair and began to read.  
  
~~~  
  
15 minutes later, Hermione emerged from her room wearing jeans and her favorite shirt; a cream colored, long sleeved v-neck, with lace at the neck and waist. She was carrying a notebook and quill.   
  
Snape rolled his eyes as he set down the book he'd been reading. "I doubt very much that we will be taking notes at Mr. Ashby's home."  
  
She gave him a defiant look, shrunk the paper and quill, and stuck them in her jeans pocket anyway.  
  
"Let's be off," he said, turning away from her.  
  
"Severus, aren't we going to a muggle area of London?"  
  
"Yes. So?"  
  
She looked pointedly at his black high-necked frock coat and his heavy wizarding robes. "Don't you think your appearance will raise suspicion?" she asked cautiously, and then added, "I think you should transfigure yourself some muggle clothing."   
  
"In all the times that I've visited Fintan Ashby's home, I have never had to change my wizarding attire. We will not be seen, anyway," he snapped, getting impatient.  
  
"There's always a possibility..."  
  
Tired of her meddling, and more to shut her up than anything, he flicked his wand in the direction of his body. He was now wearing dark jeans and a long sleeved, black collared shirt, buttoned all the way to the top button.  
  
"There. Are you happy? I don't even have a place to put my wand anymore. I can't put it in my back pocket... not after listening to Moody rant about the wizard who lost his buttocks. And the front pockets are two small," he complained with a sour look on his face.  
  
"Merlin's beard! Have you forgotten that you're a wizard? Make the pocket bigger!" Hermione was getting annoyed.   
  
Grumbling something incomprehensible, Snape touched his wand to his pocket and then stowed it away. "Now are we ready to go?" he asked testily.  
  
"Yes, just one more thing." As Hermione said this, she stepped closer to Snape. He stepped back, obviously not wanting his personal space invaded, but she reached forward and undid the top button of his shirt. "There," she said, "now you don't look as if you're some anal retentive potions master who spends his nights lurking in a dreary dungeon, and takes pleasure in waking up his colleagues at ridiculously early hours of the morning. Wait... never mind." Grinning to herself, Hermione walked out the door, leaving a very dumbfounded Snape in her wake. 'Score one for Granger,' she thought.   
  
Snape stared after her, unable to register the fact that Miss Hermione Granger, Gryffindor know-it-all, had turned into a sarcastic little vixen. 'That was a comment worthy of a Slytherin,' he thought. Though, he knew it was her Gryffindor bravery that had made her utter it. Perhaps he had underestimated her, after all.   
  
~~~  
  
When the pair passed through the cast iron gates that separated Hogwarts from Hogsmeade, they prepared to apparate.   
  
"I'll need apparation directions to Mr. Ashby's home." Hermione stated factually.  
  
"It would be easier if we apparated together." He replied, just as coolly.   
  
She nodded her assent. Snape stood behind her and slightly to her right. Upon seeing that she had agreed with him (small miracle that it was), he grasped her shoulder with is hand, focused on the location of Fintan's flat, and with a loud crack, they were gone.  
  
~~~  
  
Author's notes:  
  
To all who reviewed-  
  
Thank you for your generous comments! The number of reviews I received was overwhelming! You guys are amazing!   
  
I beg your forgiveness for Snape's out-of-characterness... I tried to make him grumpier and more sarcastic in chapter six. Perhaps you've noticed my sad attempts at sarcasm...  
  
SlytherinGin- Yes, the caduceus is based upon fact, as you no doubt have seen it in the muggle world. I'm sure it means healing but I kind of stretched it to mean peace as well, but my stretching was not without foundation. As there are dove's wings mounted at the top of the staff, and the dove is a symbol for peace, I just assumed it to be one of the things the caduceus stands for.   
  
Krechkny- Thank you for pointing out my error concerning British universities. How embarrassing! I had no idea. I'm much too lazy to change the error in this story, but the information will certainly come in handy for the future! I hope it didn't ruin your fanfiction experience. ; ) I'm glad you liked the teacart! lol  
  
Snape's comment regarding Moody's ranting 'about the wizard who lost his buttocks' is in reference to a passage in the Order of the Pheonix.  
  
Now the story begins... 


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